The invention particularly relates to a method and apparatus for cutting face bricks from clay columns. In the past bricks have been cut from clay columns by pushing the column through a plurality of vertically extending cutting wires, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,461,196, and 3,602,963. Bricks formed by pushing column sections through stationary wires have ragged and sharp edges, and individuals handling the bricks can injure themselves by coming into contact with these ragged and sharp edges. Additionally, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,655, it has been known to mount cutting wires on a movable frame, and move the wires into contact with a stationary clay column. The movable frame can be pivotal about a pivot point located below the conveying surface on which the clay column rests. Such apparatus has a drawback of limited capacity since the clay columns must be cut while standing still, and since the bricks can be moved only after cutting is completed. Also, when the cutting frame is pivotal, exceptionally long wires and a high angular velocity must be employed (because of the conventional rectangular cross-section of the bricks), which significantly reduces the quality of the cut.
According to the present invention, the drawbacks inherent in the prior art are essentially avoided, clean cuts being made in the clay columns, and the bricks moving continuously during cutting so that a large output is provided. According to the method of the present invention, a clay column is moved in a given generally horizontal direction A, at least one cutting wire is disposed in a generally vertical plane at an angle of substantially less than 90.degree. with respect to the direction A, and the cutting wire is moved toward, into engagement with, and through the clay column while the clay column is continuously moved in the direction A, to provide at least one cut through the column disposed in a plane that is parallel to a line extending in direction A. The wire is moved during cutting downwardly so that the wire moves through the column at a diagonal, first contacting the leading (in the direction of movement) upper corner of the column, and last contacting the trailing lower corner of the column (after passage through the column). The downward movement and the diagonal cut provides enough pressure on the column to avoid any slippage between the colum and the conveyor which is continuously moving the column, therefore a smooth, clean, cut is effected, no ragged and sharp edges remaining on the brick. The clay that adheres to the at least one wire is automatically removed from the wire after passage thereof through the clay column, and the removed clay is automatically collected and returned to an extruder 4 forming another clay column. After cutting, the bricks are continuously transported away from the cutting wire, and automatically disposed on loading pallets.
The apparatus for cutting conveyed articles according to the present invention includes a generally horizontally disposed conveyor system, including at least two continuous parallel conveyor belts spaced apart from each other a distance X in a direction transversed to the direction A in which the articles disposed on the conveyor belt are conveyed. Means are provided for powering the conveyor belts for movement of the articles disposed thereon in the direction A, means for mounting at least one cutting wire are provided so that the cutting wire extends in a generally vertical plane and is disposed at an angle substantially less than 90.degree. with respect to the direction A, and so that it passes through the space between the conveyor belts, the at least one cutting wire having a horizontal dimension less than X, and means are provided for moving the at least one cutting wire mounting means so that said at least one cutting wire moves into engagement with and through an article continuously being moved by the conveyor belts in the direction A to provide at least one cut through the article disposed in a plane that is parallel to a line extending in direction A. The means for moving the wire mounting means comprises means for moving the wire mounting means downwardly during cutting by the wire, and includes a frame member for guiding downward movement of the mounting means, rotatable crank arm means, and means for rotating the crank arm means. Preferably a plurality of cutting wires are provided, and more than two conveyor belts are provided in the conveyor system, each belt being spaced from an adjoining belt at a distance greater than the corresponding dimension of the cutting wire cooperating with the space between the conveyor belts. A second conveyor system may be provided for moving articles onto the first conveyor system, a second conveyor system comprising at least three continuous parallel conveyor belts spaced apart from each other a horizontal distance Y, and at least two generally horizontally disposed rollers having a dimension less than Y, and means for selectively lowering the rollers into the spaces between the conveyor belts to dispose an article carried by the rollers on the conveyor belts. A third conveying system may be provided at the other end of the cutting apparatus to transport the cut bricks away from the cutting apparatus.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a high capacity method and apparatus for cutting clay columns into bricks, with the cuts formed being free of ragged and sharp edges. This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.